Nail holder

ABSTRACT

Apparatus engageable with a thumb of a user and provided with a spring loaded extension for detachably holding a nail in position for nailing in such manner that the fingers of the user cannot be struck by a hammer driving the nail.

Witefl States Patent 1 1 [H1 9 anzanarez Apr. 1973 NAIL HOLDER [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Alfred L. Manzanarez, Silverton, UNITED STATES PATENTS C010- 2,420,869 5/1947 Davis ..l45/46 Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization, Inc., New York, NY. a part interest 180,862 2/1906 Germany ..l45/46 Filedl sew-13,1971 Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Assistant Examiner-Mark S. Bicks l. N [211 App 0 180309 Att0rneyRichard S. Shreve,Jr.

52 us. (:1 ..l45/46 ABSTRACT [5 I 1 Int. A aratu engageahle a thumb of a user and pro- [58] Field of Search ..145/46; 30/298, 232, vided with a spring loaded extension for detachably 30/291, 296 holding a nail in position for nailing in such manner that the fingers of the user cannot be struck by a hammer driving the nail.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures Patented April 24, 1973 3,729,035

I N VE N TO R 41mm 1. M ZMMZ NAIL HOLDER FIELD OF THE INVENTION My invention is a device which can be used to hold nails and the like in position for striking with a hammer while at the same time preventing the fingers and hand of the user from being struck by the hammer.

SUMMARY To this end I provide detachable thumb engaging means connected by an extension to a nail holding means in the form of a normally closed clamp spring biased in closed position but manually operable to hold or release the nail.

In use, a nail is clamped. The user moves his thumb with the engaging means attached until the nail is in desired position. The nail is then hammered in. The hammer thus used can strike the clamp and possibly the extension, but cannot strike the engaging means whereby the nail is driven in and the fingers and hand of the user are held outside of the path of the hammer and cannot be injured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of my invention mounted on a hand and ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a plan of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective which shows my invention ready for use; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of my invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a socket comprising a thimble like member adapted to detachably receive the tip of a thumb is connected via a longitudinally extending flat plate T2 to a clip 14 adapted to engage the sides of the thumb and thus detachably hold member 10 in position. A second plate 16 extends longitudinally outward from member 10 and has spaced out out regions 18 along one side thereof. An arm 20 pivotally secured to plate I6 by pin 22 at a point intermediate both the ends of the arm and ends of the plate also has cut out regions 24 engageable with regions 18. Arm 20 has a lateral extension 26 spring loaded by spring 28 disposed between extension 26 and member 10.

In use, extension 26 is manually depressed to permit a nail 30 to be disposed between properly sized regions 18 and 24. The pressure is released and the spring action clamps the nail in place as shown whereby the nail can be driven in by hammer 32 as shown.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

1. A nail holder comprising:

a manually operable clamp for holding a nail;

a thumb engaging socket; and

an extension member connecting said socket and said clamp;

said clamp being normally biased by a spring to hold a nail securely and will only release a nail when manual pressure is exerted thereon; said socket lnCIUdlng a thumb tip engaging member like a thimble and a clip for engaging the sides of the thumb;

said thimble like member having a flat plate extending rearwardly to the clip, a second plate extending forwardly having cut out regions, and a spring pressed arm pivoted to said second plate and having mating cut out regions. 

1. A nail holder comprising: A MANUALLY OPERABLE CLAMP FOR HOLDING A NAIL; A THUMB ENGAGING SOCKET; AND AN EXTENSION MEMBER CONNECTING SAID SOCKET AND SAID CLAMP; SAID CLAMP BEING NORMALLY BIASED BY A SPRING TO HOLD A NAIL SECURELY AND WILL ONLY RELEASE A NAIL WHEN MANUAL PRESSURE IS EXERTED THEREON; SAID SOCKET INCLUDING A THUMB TIP ENGAGING MEMBER LIKE A THIMBLE AND A CLIP FOR ENGAGING THE SIDES OF THE THUMB; SAID THIMBLE LIKE MEMBER HAVING A FLAT PLATE EXTENDING REARWARDLY TO THE CLIP, A SECOND PLATE EXTENDING FORWARDLY HAVING CUT OUT REGIONS, AND A SPRING PRESSED ARM PIVOTED TO SAID SECOND PLATE AND HAVING MATING CUT OUT REGIONS. 